A/N: Hello all - I am back from vacation and ready to finish up this series so we can start on the last part of the trilogy - A NEW DAY.

Thanks to Leiasky for the beta and the never-ending encouragement.

Please read and respond - it's the best part of fan fiction.

***

A NEW BEGINNING, ch. 26: More to See

***

Regan found River and Jayne sharing a quiet meal and while she was loathe to interrupt them, she had been avoiding this discussion for the past week. Entering the almost empty dining room, Jayne caught sight of her first and smiled in her direction, even as he nudged River with an elbow.

Turning shining eyes to her mother, River stood, as did Jayne, at her approach and gave her mother a hug before the older woman took a seat. “Are you hungry, mother?” River asked, looking about for the waiter. It was late, but the hotel they were staying at had quickly learned to lavish as much attention on these very important guests as possible, so while no one else was eating, the kitchen was still open to the Tams.

Shaking her head quickly, Regan smiled her thanks to her daughter, and told her, “No, sweetheart. I’m fine.”

Silence fell between them as Regan felt her unease growing. Picking up on it, River took one final sip of her drink and then grabbing for Jayne’s hand, she turned all of her attention to Regan. “What is it, mother?” As the older woman cocked a curious eyebrow in her direction, River frowned knowingly and told her, “I’m a reader, remember?”

Chuckling a bit, Regan answered her, “Yes, of course, how could I forget?”

“I know I can’t,” Jayne grumbled, getting a playful poke in the ribs from his wife. He grinned widely at her and pressed a kiss to her temple before leaning back in his seat, still keeping River’s hand in his. Regan smiled at their interaction, glad to see her daughter so happy.

“I wanted to come and ask you about those files,” Regan finally admitted, her eyes staying focused on River’s sweet face.

As she took a deep breath, River swept her eyes over her shoulder and watched as Jayne tensed. Meeting her gaze, she smiled at him just a bit, and then, looking back to her mother, she waited as the older woman asked, “Did you find anything?”

River thought fleetingly of lying to her, of telling her mother no and letting her think that there was nothing to worry about. But River knew that wasn’t fair. It was already bad enough that she was going to keep Simon in the dark; it seemed completely dishonest to hide something so huge from her mother as well.

Nodding once, she said quietly, “I did.” Looking back to Jayne again, she squeezed his hand and amended, “We did.”

Letting out a sigh of relief at knowing her daughter had not had to suffer through that alone, Regan asked hurriedly, “Well? What did they say?”

Sighing again, River’s mind flashed with the words and images from those files. She had not looked at them again, not since that first night, and she guessed she probably would never lay eyes on them again. But she didn’t need to, her big brain could remember every detail and she knew it always would.

Shivering just a bit at the memories, River turned her clear eyes to her mother and said firmly, “Nothing worth discussing.”

Frowning at her, Regan let her eyes go to Jayne’s face and noticed the man’s impassive expression. Looking back to her daughter, she prodded, “That can’t be true.”

Nodding her head firmly, River told her, “It is, mother. I’m sorry if it’s not what you wanted to hear, but everything in those files is in the past. And it’s not worth thinking about for another minute.”

Leaning and clasping her daughter’s hand, Regan’s eyes widened, imploring with River to tell her. “Please, sweetheart, I need to know what they did to you.” What I let them do, she thought bitterly, tears welling as she realized the damage she’d allowed those awful men to inflict on her child.

Pulling her hand away from Jayne’s, River covered her mother’s with it and held her gaze steadily. “Mother, the best thing for all of us is to let it go. It’s not healthy for any of us to live in the past and that includes you.” She watched as her mother tried to voice another protest and silenced her. “I mean it. It’s what’s best for me.”

Unable to argue with that, Regan pulled River into a tight embrace, wishing with all her might she could take those horrible years back. Blinking away a few tears, she said softly, “All right, sweetheart, if that’s what you want, but I don’t know if your brother will be deterred so easily.”

Backing out of her mother’s embrace quickly, River’s chest heaved as she feared what the woman may have already done. “Simon can’t know anything,” she ordered, her eyes blazing with determination. “What have you told him?”

Startled by her fierce reaction, Regan blinked quickly and assured her, “Nothing. I just assumed that once you mentioned that you’d gotten the files, he’d ask to see them.”

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, River felt Jayne’s reassuring hand squeeze her shoulder and she looked back to him gratefully. Regarding her mother again, River took her hands and said, “Mother, listen to me. Simon is never to know that you gave me those files. Do you understand?”

Still confused, Regan’s brow furrowed as she asked, “But why? Maybe there’s something in there that he can use to help you.”

Shaking her head again, River simply repeated, “He’s never to know, Mother, never. Promise me.”

More confusion clouded Regan’s features. Pulling back from her daughter, she shot another look to Jayne and then refocused her attention to her daughter’s determined face. “Why, sweetheart? I don’t understand. You and Simon are as close as siblings can be. Why don’t you want him to know?”

Trying to determine how best to explain it, River swallowed hard and, taking her mother’s hands, held her gaze steadily as she said, “Mother, Simon has sacrificed a good portion of his life to save me, to protect me. And he’s done it at the expense of his own happiness, his own family.” Glancing back to Jayne, she smiled slightly at him and her heart warmed as he smiled back. Turning back to her mother, she told her quietly, “And the truth is, I don’t need Simon to protect me anymore. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself.”

“Plus, you got me,” Jayne said quietly, leaning forward and pressing a kiss into her hair.

Looking to him again, River smiled patiently and added, “And, I’ve got Jayne. It’s time for Simon to start living his own life, truly. And that means he has to let go. If he sees the things in those files, he won’t.” Her eyes again narrowing with determination, she told her mother firmly, “And he has to.”

Releasing a sigh, Regan nodded once, knowing that if River felt keeping Simon in the dark was for the best, than she would have to trust her. “If that’s you want.”

Relieved, River leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “It is, mother, thank you.”

The three of them sat in silence for another minute or so and finally Regan spoke again, having one other thing to discuss with them both.

“I had meant to mention this earlier, but with all that’s been happening,” Regan explained, pulling out another data stick and laying it on the table. Both River and Jayne eyed it suspiciously and Regan quickly assured them, “Oh no, it’s nothing dastardly, I promise.”

Sharing a puzzled expression, it was Jayne who leaned forward and picked it up. Bringing it to his nose to sniff it, as he did with most things he couldn’t readily identify, he asked her, “What is it?”

Regan smiled at him and then looked to River, who was still a bit suspicious. Squeezing her hand, her mother told her, “Well, it was for River, but now that you’re married, I’m guessing it belongs to you both equally.”

Realization dawned in her daughter’s eyes, but instead of the happy smile she expected to see, Regan watched as River eyed is skeptically. “I can’t accept it,” she said quietly, reaching towards Jayne and plucking the stick out of his hands.

Handing it towards her mother, Regan shook her head and refused to take the data back. “Dear, you have to. It’s yours. It has been since your twenty-first birthday.”

“Too dangerous,” River told her, still not willing to accept the gift.

“Sweetheart, I would never give it to you if I thought it could be traced,” Regan explained. “I have had all the funds routed through about five different banks on five different worlds. All the codes you need to access it are in those files. It’s perfectly safe, I promise you.”

Still not quite sure she could believe it, River looked back to Jayne who seemed to finally be catching on. Pointing at the data stick in her hand, he asked quietly, “Is that what I think it is?”

Shrugging lightly, River told him, “If you think it’s money, than yes.”

Whistling through his teeth, Jayne knew what this meant, it meant that River was rich and so, by default, was he. Leaning forward, River brought her mouth to his and whispered, “I hope you just don’t love me for my money.”

Chuckling at her, Jayne kissed her quickly and told her, “Trust me, darlin’, I loved you when you were poor and penniless. And if you don’t wanna take it then don’t. We’ve always gotten by before.” Eyeing the stick with a happy grin, he added, “Although, some extra coin sure would be nice.”

She nodded once and then turned back to Regan. Kissing her mother lightly on the cheek, she said, “Thank you.”

Relieved that her daughter had accepted what was hers by birthright, she stood to leave, but River’s gentle hand around her wrist caught her. “What about Simon,” she asked quickly, thinking about the money he had squandered all those years ago to break her out. He had once confided in her that he had spent his entire inheritance.

Smiling at her, Regan bent down and placed a light hand against her face. “Don’t worry dear, you’re brother may have spent quite a bit of money to rescue you, but your father and I were not going to let a twenty-one year old boy have access to all of his inheritance. We weren’t that foolish.” Kissing her cheek, she pulled back and assured her, “He and Kaylee and the children will be well provided for.”

Satisfied, River sat back in her chair and watched as her mother left. Turning to Jayne with a grin and a light flashing in her dark eyes, she held up the thin stick and asked, “So, what do you want to do first?”

Leaning forward, Jayne kissed her, long and hard on the mouth and River quickly forgot all about their newfound wealth. As they parted and Jayne worked his warm mouth across her cheek and to her ear, he whispered, “What I wanna do first ain’t got nothin’ to do with that coin.”

Giggling at him, River wrapped her arms around his neck and let him kiss her again, before they both managed to stumble to their room.

***

Kaylee was packing up their things, more than ready to go home. She smiled a bit as she considered that she wasn’t exactly sure where home was anymore. They had been grounded on Harvest for almost a month before they’d been forced back to Greenleaf for a little over two. And now, with the new babies on the way and Simon still a little unsteady, she wondered if it wouldn’t be a good idea to stay on Harvest until the twins came.

Of course, she had no idea if her husband would go for that, although she suspected he just might. But still, she didn’t know if she could leave Serenity behind, leave the captain and Inara or River and Jayne. Sighing a bit, she pushed the anxiety such thoughts caused from her mind and resumed her packing, grinning wickedly when she felt Simon’s strong arms encircle her from behind.

“Hello,” he said warmly, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Pressing back against him, Kaylee giggled as he groaned a bit and she whispered back, “Hi there.” Turning in his arms, she saw that he was walking without his cane and her eyes lit up devilishly. “So, no cane, huh,” she murmured against his mouth as she kissed him.

Kissing her back, they both delighted in the other’s embrace for a bit, before Simon could answer, “Nope, not today.” Pressing his lips to hers again, Kaylee felt his passion for her as his tongue dove into her mouth. Pressing herself to him even more tightly, she smiled as she felt his need for her harden against her thigh. Although Simon had been on the road to recovery for the past three weeks now, their sleeping arrangements had not made any intimacy at all viable. The children were still a little thrown by all that had happened and many a night Simon and Kaylee had ended up sharing their bed with the two little ones. But now, as Kaylee knew they would be heading back to Harvest and some relative privacy, she felt her body burn for Simon in a way she had not felt for quite some time. He normally kept her good and sexed, so there was never any need to feel this ache. But, she didn’t mind so much, because she knew that the end result would be an amazing night, if not an amazing few days of sex with her handsome husband.

Having to pull apart for air, Simon pressed his forehead to Kaylee’s even as he wrapped his strong arms tighter around her. “Ai ya, I have missed you,” he told her huskily, his voice filled with so much desire it was barely recognizable.

“Yeah, well that goes double for me,” she teased, pulling back from him just slightly and placing one hand against her belly that was just starting to grow. “Actually, triple.”

He chuckled at her and kissed her again, groaning with annoyance as a loud rap on the door disrupted them. Smiling at him, Kaylee kissed him lightly on the mouth and then moved to get the door, slightly surprised to see Simon’s mother standing on the other side.

“Mrs. – Regan,” Kaylee said, slightly flustered, as she knew her cheeks were flushed from kissing the woman’s son to within an inch of his life just a moment before. “Come in, please,” she offered, stepping aside as the woman entered the room.

“Simon,” she called, heading back towards their room and poking her head around the door. Noting that he hadn’t much moved from where she’d left him, she cocked her head behind her and whispered, “It’s your mother.”

Smiling sheepishly, he hurried towards her and headed out to greet his mother. Seeing him first, she looked between the two young people and noted the way Kaylee clutched her son’s hand. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

By the blush that crept up both her cheeks, Regan realized she had, so she hurried to get to the point. “Right, well then, I’ll make this quick.”

Stepping towards Simon she pulled out a data stick, almost identical to the one she had handed to River and Jayne the night before and told him, “I think this belongs to you.”

Simon eyed it suspiciously for a moment and then took it, rolling it between his fingers and studying the light markings etched into the surface. As realization dawned, his mouth dropped open and he looked back up to his mother. “I can’t take this,” he told her breathlessly.

Kaylee looked between her husband and his mother wondering what exactly was going on. “Can’t take what?” she asked, looking to Simon. “Honey, what is that?”

But it was Regan who answered, “It’s his birthright.”

Still confused, Kaylee asked quietly, “Simon?”

Taking a deep breath, Simon looked back to his mother and told her, “But I spent it all while I was getting River out of the Academy. Father cut me off.”

Regan blushed a bit, remembering the white lie. Nodding once, she said, “Yes, he did, but these funds didn’t transfer to your name until you turned twenty-five, and by that time you were already gone.”

Kaylee was still trying to piece the puzzle together, and she was pretty sure she just had. “Spent it all?” Studying Simon’s profile carefully, she asked him, “Is that money or somethin’?”

Nodding once, Simon finally turned to face her and said quietly, “Yes, it’s my inheritance apparently.”

Biting her lip, Kaylee looked to the data stick and thought of all they could do with that money. They could make sure the kids were taken care of, could make sure that one day they could even go to a fancy Academy like their dad. They could afford to settle down somewhere, if Simon wanted, and he could maybe even open a clinic, like he’d always talked about. They could even help her folks and the Everetts and Thomspons and the Captain and Inara … and with a rumble in her stomach, she thought, I could even buy some fresh strawberries.

Shaking the thoughts away, Kaylee knew it was selfish of her to think of that money as hers. It was Simon’s, for all rights and purposes, and judging by the look of uncertainty on his face, she wasn’t completely convinced he was going to take it. “What’s the matter?” she asked him quietly, her hand closing over his.

Pulling his thoughts away from his own internal musings, Simon kissed her on the cheek and said, “Nothing, bao bei, nothing.” Looking back to his mother, he said, “You know this can be traced.”

“It could be yes,” Regan admitted, noting how Kaylee’s eyes widened in shock. “But it won’t. I’ve taken every precaution, had the money routed through five different banks on different worlds. And different ones than your sister’s accounts as well. It’s safe, Simon, I promise you.”

There had been a time when a promise from his mother would not have meant much, but that time had long ago expired. Stepping towards her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek and said, “Thank you.”

With a few tears in her eyes, she told him, “Don’t thank me, son. I’m just doing what’s right.”

Nodding, Simon said, “Still …” Looking around, he glanced back to her and said, “Since I have this, let me at least pay for my medical bills. It must have cost a small fortune.”

Waving away his offer, Regan told him, “Nonsense. Besides, I’ve already paid for them and I let the accounting department know that if a suddenly wealthy, very handsome young man comes down and tries to make a payment, he’s to be drawn and quartered immediately.” Her eyes danced at the joke and Simon and Kaylee both laughed.

Turning to go, Regan was to the door, when another thought struck her. Looking back to them, she said, “Actually, there is something you can do for me though.”

With a wide grin on his face, Simon asked, “What’s that?”

Nodding to Kaylee’s beaming face, she noticed how the girl had wrapped her arms around Simon’s waist and now looked at him with such love and adoration it was almost overwhelming. “Take her on a vacation, someplace nice, before those new babies come.”

Looking to Regan with wide eyes, Kaylee started to protest. “What? I don’t need nothin’.” Looking back to Simon, with more love shining in her eyes, “I already got everythin’ I need.”

Simon met her gaze and smiled back at her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Giving them a warm look, Regan slipped out of the room, knowing that the young couple was too wrapped up in each other to notice.

Once she’d gone and Simon and Kaylee had again shared another long, slow kiss, Simon murmured, “You know, she’s got a point.”

Pulling back from him a bit, Kaylee asked, “’Bout what? A vacation?” Laughing lightly and shaking her head, Kaylee pulled away from him and headed back to her packing. “How are we gonna take a vacation? Especially with Danny and Ry.”

Simon followed her, pausing in the doorway and crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her work, feeling more love and desire for her than he’d ever thought possible. “Well, River and Jayne would probably watch them for a bit.”

Frowning at him, Kaylee told him, “Simon, it ain’t fair to keep askin’ your sister to babysit our kids. I mean, she’s even watchin’ ‘em right now,” Kaylee said, glancing to the clock on the bedside table and noting that they would be back soon.

Moving into the room, Simon again pulled her to him and said, “I know that, but I want to spend some time with you, alone, before those new babies come. My mother was right – that’s important.”

Kaylee sighed, not at all hating the prospect of taking a nice romantic trip with her husband, but the faces of her children floated through her mind and she could not quite stymie the guilt she felt at abandoning them. Kissing her, Simon pulled back and asked, “How about this? How about we asked Daniel and Rylee and River and Jayne what they think and if they agree, we go away for a week somewhere?”

Smiling at the hopeful light dancing in his eyes, Kaylee kissed him and said, “You know it ain’t that I don’t wanna go, right?” He nodded once and she said, “It’s just that the kids have been through so much and I …”

The sound of the door opening and closing and the loud, animated voices of their children interrupted Simon’s response. Looking to her once more, he said, “We’ll only bring it up if you want to.”

Her desire for her husband and her love for her children warred within her, but Kaylee knew that Simon was right – they needed some alone time and Daniel and Rylee had both been doing much better since Simon had been up and walking again. Besides if they were with River and Jayne, and back on Harvest with her parents and Inara and Mal, they would be surrounded by people who loved them and wanted to care for them.

Her eyes lighting, she grabbed Simon’s hand and told him, “No time like the present,” before pulling him from the room.

***

“Mama, are ya gonna come back to the house soon?”

Mimi’s wide brown eyes stared straight ahead as Inara braided the little girl’s hair. Her daughter had come to visit her at the clinic, for the fifth day in a row as Inara still refused to see Mal or return to his bed. She knew that her little one was getting more and more confused by this unusual turn of events and as much as it pained Inara to hurt her, she couldn’t think of any other solution.

Taking a deep breath, Inara was glad her daughter couldn’t see the tears in her eyes. “I will soon, sweetheart, I just need to rest a bit more.” She finished her braiding in silence and when she was done, wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her back towards her in a big hug. “You know that I love you, right, Mimi?”

Nodding once, Mimi turned to face her and asked quietly, “You love daddy too, right?”

With a few more tears forming, Inara smiled and swept her daughter’s bangs off her forehead. “Yes, baby, I do love your daddy. We’re just having a little argument right now. That’s all.”

Looking to her with a trembling lip and watery eyes, Mimi asked fearfully, “You ain’t gonna get a divorce, are ya?”

Pulling her daughter into a tight hug, Inara told her, “No, sweetie we’re not. Where did you learn that word?”

Shrugging lightly, Mimi sighed and leaned against her mother, taking comfort in her embrace as she had so many times before. Inara rocked her a bit, humming to her as she normally did, the only thing breaking up this quiet moment between mother and daughter a light knock on the door.

“Come in,” Inara called, as Mimi turned to greet their visitor.

Smiling widely when she saw it was Zoe and Ellie, Mimi scrambled down off the bed and rushed to Zoe’s side embracing the woman around the legs. “Well, hello there lil’ one,” Zoe greeted her, leaning over to place a kiss in her hair. “I thought maybe you’d like some lunch. Are you hungry?”

Nodding eagerly, Mimi looked back to her mother, who smiled and waved her away. “Go ahead, sweetie, I’ll see you later.”

“’Kay, love you,” she called, taking Ellie’s offered hand and following the other girl out of the room. Ellie looked back to Inara and then to Zoe with a knowing look before shutting the door and leaving the two women alone.

Zoe stood uncomfortably for a minute, uncertain as to what exactly she was doing here. This was probably not one of her smarter ideas, but still, she had had enough of Mal’s mood in the past week and after attempting to talk to him, she knew that the person she really needed to reason with was Inara.

“Save it, Zoe.” Inara’s voice was quiet and strong and when Zoe met her gaze, she saw the hardness and determination reflecting in her eyes.

Never one to back down from such a challenge, Zoe made her way into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “I don’t think so, ‘Nara,” she sighed, holding the woman’s angry gaze.

With a big sigh, Inara crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Zoe to either leave or say her peace. Not surprisingly it was the latter. “You need to forgive him.”

Glaring at her, Inara shot back, “I’m sorry, but how exactly do my marital problems fall into the category of your business?”

Stifling an angry retort, Zoe told her just as harshly, “Your marital problems don’t, but treating my best friend like a worthless piece of go se does.”

Swallowing her own snappy comeback, Inara held Zoe’s gaze for a moment and then finally let it drop to her lap. After a few more minutes, she finally said, “You have no idea what I’m going through.”

“No?” Zoe’s voice was still tinged with anger, but it was softening quickly as her own emotions rose to the surface. “I wouldn’t be so sure o’ that.”

Glancing up quickly the annoyance in Inara’s eyes was quickly replaced with concern. Reaching out and grabbing her friend’s hand, she breathed, “Zoe.”

Shaking her head slightly, Zoe pulled her hand away and blinked back the few tears that had started to form at the corners. “It was a while ago now, but still, I’ve been where you’re at, except that my husband had just been killed, so I didn’t have his support.” Swallowing down the memory, she met Inara’s eyes once again and reminded her, “But you do.”

Inara’s tears fell quickly now, partly for the pain she knew her friend had suffered through in silence and partly for her own loss. Burying her face in her hands, Inara let her sobs come, desperately wishing she knew what to do. She was so angry at Mal, so angry at the fact that she had lost their child, so angry at that horrible woman and man who had come after them – in short, just so angry, that she couldn’t see past it, couldn’t reconcile it with her pain and grief.

“I’m so mad, Zoe,” she finally got out, taking deep shaky breaths as her sobs subsided. “I’m just so mad, at everyone. At Mal, at those people, at myself, at the ‘verse … I don’t know how to move past that.” Looking up to meet her friend’s gaze, her eyes widened imploringly as she continued. “I don’t want to be so mad, so bitter. I don’t want to push Mal away. I said awful things to him.” She stopped abruptly, thinking shamefully of the fact that she had actually blamed him for the death of their child. It hadn’t been his fault, none of it. They were all just trying to get by in this ‘verse and unfortunately that meant they sometimes crossed the wrong people. But there was always danger – there had been danger when she’d been a companion as well, moving in some of the most elite social circles. With a shiver she remembered one or two incidents that she would just as soon forget, and she pushed them down, focusing back on her current pain.

And the fact was, Mal’s life had always been this way. She had known that when she’d fallen in love with him, when she’d agreed to be his wife, when she’d had his child. She had known that there was danger, maybe not at every turn or on every job, but there was. And she had determined a long time ago that that risk was worth it, if it meant she got to love him.

Crying again, she leaned heavily into her pillows and looked to Zoe forlornly. “Is he really bad?” she asked quietly.

Grimacing, Zoe remembered his look at breakfast that morning and knew she couldn’t rightly lie. “Yeah,” she told her honestly. “I don’t think he’s been sleepin’ much.” Grabbing Inara’s hand, she said, “He’s grievin’ just as much as you are.”

Nodding once, Inara squeezed Zoe’s hand back and murmured, “Thank you.” Zoe returned the nod and moved to go, stopping as Inara called to her, “And if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

Smiling her thanks, Zoe looked over her shoulder at her friend and said, “Just let Mal off the hook, all right? You both need each other right now.”

And with that she left, wishing she didn’t still feel that dull ache in her gut for her lost husband and their lost child.

***

What did you think? Leave a review and let me know!